Page 11 - Easter The Untold Story

The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia states: "It is reasonably certain that the New Testament contains no reference to a yearly celebration of the resurrection of Christ... The date for the celebration of the Resurrection was the subject of extensive disagreement for centuries" (article "Easter").
Eusebius, a fourth-century church historian, recorded: "There was a considerable discussion raised about this time, in consequence of a difference of opinion respecting the observance of the paschal season. The churches of all Asia, guided by a remoter tradition, supposed that they ought to keep the fourteenth day of the moon for the festival of the Saviour’s Passover, in which day the Jews were commanded to kill the paschal lamb... it was not the custom to celebrate it in this manner in the churches throughout the rest of the world... Hence there were synods and convocations of the bishops on this question; and all unanimously drew up an ecclesiastical decree, which they communicated to all the churches in all places, that the mystery of our Lord’s resurrection should be celebrated on no other day than the Lord’s-day [Sunday]" (Ecclesiastical History, book 5, chapter 23).
Note the emphasis here – not on commemoration of Jesus' death, but on a Sunday celebration of his resurrection.
Easter Becomes Dogma
The controversy refused to go away. In the early fourth century, Roman Emperor Constantine put a stop to the persecution of Christians. Christianity, already strong in spite of persecution, quickly became a privileged religion in the Roman Empire.
It was not that Constantine felt the need to be a Christian. He didn't personally embrace Christianity until he was on his deathbed. But he saw in the energetic and increasingly popular Christian religion a powerful tool that could help hold his far-flung empire together. He was, of course, quite disturbed that major quarrels and disagreements threatened to divide and weaken this tool.
In an effort to secure unity, he convened a council at the city of Nicaea in A.D. 325. Leading churchmen from most parts of the empire took part.
"The early development of the celebration of Easter and the attendant calendar disputes were largely a result of Christianity's attempt to emancipate itself from Judaism. Sunday had already replaced the Jewish Sabbath early in the second century, and despite efforts in Asia Minor to maintain the Jewish passover date of 14 Nisan for Easter (hence the name Quartodecimans), the Council of Nicaea adopted the annual Sunday following the full moon after the vernal equinox (March 21)" (Evangelical Dictionary of Theology, 1984, article "Easter").
Under Constantine, people of all backgrounds flocked to Christianity. "Everybody sought membership in the church, and nearly everybody was received. Both good and bad, seekers after God and hypocritical seekers after gain, rushed into the communion... The services of worship increased in splendor, but were less spiritual and hearty than those of former times. The forms and ceremonies of paganism gradually crept into the worship. Some of the old heathen feasts became church festivals with change of name and of worship" (J.L. Hurlbut, The Story of the Christian Church, page 79).